Device for balling steel rails for track



Sept. 29', 1925.

C. O. MESSENGER DEVICE FOR BALLING STEEL RAILS FOR TRACK Filed Oct. 18. 1923 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

lssaasa CLARENGE O. MESSENGER, 0F GLO, KENTUCKY.

DEVICE FOR BALLING STEEL RAILS FOR TRACK.

Application filed October 18, 1923.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE O. lifnssiiie can, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glo, in the county of Floyd and Etate of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Device for Balling Steel Rails for Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved rail clip used in combination with an auxiliary extension rail laid sidewise and adapted for progressive, longitudinal movement for purposes of a temporary track extension.

The object of the invention is to provide a clip of this character which may be readily applied and released by any miner with the tools he works with ordinarily and which is so quickly accomplished that the miner will prefer to use the clip rather than wait for a trackma-n to connect up an extension rail.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is cheap to construct and easy to apply or remove.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the clip constituting this invention shown applied the extension rail being in cross section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof shown applied; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section.

This clip is especially designed for use in laying temporary track for use by miners and others. In mines and similar places the car track may be progressively extended with the work until such intervals or points as will permit the placing of an additional standard length of rail to the main track.

In the embodiment illustrated the device is shown attached to a steel mine tie 2 on which is mounted a regular section of track rail 1 with the base thereof arranged flat on the tie 2 and which may be secured in any suitable manner. What is known as a ba led is s own at 6 wh h is g d Serial No. 669,314.

sidewise adjacent rail 1 with the tread of rail 6 engaging the web of rail 1 and the flange or base 7 of rail 6 disposed upright with its flat face outward and which is held in position securely engaged with rail 1 by means of a clip 10 constituting this invention. This clip is attached to the tie 2- by a headed rive-t 5 in. such manner and position that it will revolve about said rivet without obstructing any other part of the tie. This clip 10 comprises a flat body portion 11 designed to lie flat on a tie and provided at its rear end with a hook 12 designed to engage a recess 3 formed in the upper face of the tie 2 and the walls of which are inclined lengthwise of the tie as shown in Fig. 3 to facilitate the movement of the clip to fasten or release the rail. The inner end of clip 10 has an upstanding block or arm 13 the flat outer face 14 of which is designed to engage the flat face of the rail base 7. This face 14: slopes at the proper angle to make contact with the base of the balled rail 6. This lug 18 is made thicker at its base and tapered toward its outer or upper end on the inner face thereof as shown clearly in Fig. 3. This thickening of the lug at its base reinforces against the possibility of a load on the balled rail overturning it and breaking it at the point of greatest strain.

The contacting face 14 of the lug 13 is curved longitudinally, being eccentric with its: center of rotation about the rivet 5.

Any suitable means may be provided for securing the track rail 1 to the tie, a clip 15 being here shown for this purpose which cooperates with a suitable clip indicated at 16.

In the use of this device the parts being in the position shown in the drawings when it is desired to loosen the balled rail 7 to change its location the miner or other person strikes the end 13 with an axe or hammer at the point indicated at 17 thereby dislodging toe 12 from depression 8 turning the clip in a direction to release the balled rail which rail may be moved ahead or back or removed entirely as the case may be.

To operate the clip to fasten the balled rail in position the toe carrying end 12 is struck moving it toward clip 16 which causes the eccentric face of the lug 13 to act on the principle of a wedge and force the balled rail tightly against the upright rail.

The toe 12 then drops into the depression 3 and holds the clip engaged with the rail 7 until it is designed to again release it.

This clip attached to any standard steel mine tie places at the miners disposal a tie which he can operate without any special tools and thus avoids the necessity of an expert track man visiting the miner for the purpose of moving the balling ties ahead and balling another rail for the miner to operate.

The clip 10 is preferably constructed of a malleable, forging and should be stamped at one operation.

Various changes in the form, shape, proportion and other minor details of construction may be made Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed invention.

I claim The combination with a fixed and a temporary rail and a rail tie on which said rails are to be mounted; said tie having a recess with one wall inclined; of a clip to be pivotally mounted on said tie in position to lock the rails together said clip comprising a flat tie engaging portion loosely pivoted to the tie and having its'outer end bent to form a downturned hook to engage the recess in the tie, the inner end of said clip having an upstanding block fiat on its outer face and inclined upwardly and outwardly on its inner face, its outer face being at right angles to its lower face and curved lengthwise eccentrically to its pivot to form a cam gripping face to lock? the temporary rail engaged with the fixed rail.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

CLARENCE O. MESSENGER. 

